Completion for downhole applications

ABSTRACT

A technique facilitates connection and disconnection of an upper completion with respect to a lower completion. An overall completion system comprises the upper completion releasably engaged with the lower completion. The upper completion and the lower completion may comprise hydraulic line segments and electrical line segments which are coupled via at least one hydraulic wet connect and at least one inductive coupler, respectively. The hydraulic line segments may comprise hydraulic control line segments, chemical injection line segments, or a variety of other types of hydraulic line segments that may be selectively engaged and disengaged by the at least one hydraulic wet connect.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present document is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.: 61/526, 540, filed Aug. 23, 2011, incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Hydrocarbon fluids such as oil and natural gas are obtained from a subterranean geologic formation, referred to as reservoir, by drilling a well that penetrates the hydrocarbon-bearing formation. In a variety of downhole applications, completions are deployed downhole to facilitate many types of well related operations. In some applications, a lower completion and an upper completion are both deployed downhole into a wellbore. When the upper completion is in need of service or updating, a workover is sometimes performed by pulling the entire completion. In many of these applications, the well is killed to enable safe retrieval of the completion system.

SUMMARY

In general, the present disclosure provides a system and method for facilitating connection and disconnection of an upper completion with respect to a lower completion. The upper completion and the lower completion may comprise hydraulic line segments and electrical line segments which are coupled via at least one hydraulic-wet connect and at least one inductive coupler, respectively.

However, many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Certain embodiments will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements. It should be understood, however, that the accompanying figures illustrate the various implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the scope of various technologies described herein, and:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an embodiment of a lower completion, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of examples of components that may be employed in a multi-zonal lower completion, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an example of an upper completion, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the upper completion engaged with the lower completion to form a completion system, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the completion system during initiation of an upper completion workover procedure, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 is an illustration of an example of the lower completion in a closed off configuration after removal of the upper completion, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of an example of a male portion of a hydraulic line wet mate connection system, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of an example of a male portion engaged with a female portion of a hydraulic line wet mate connection system, according to an embodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 9 is an illustration of an example of an inductive coupler that may be used with the completion system, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the system and/or methodology may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.

The disclosure herein generally involves a system and methodology related to performing service operations in a wellbore. By way of example, the system and methodology may be used to facilitate servicing, e.g. a workover, of a downhole completion system. The completion system may comprise an upper completion and a lower completion in which the upper completion is releasably received by the lower completion. Control line segments, such as hydraulic control line segments and electrical control line segments of the upper and lower completions, may be releasably engaged by at least one hydraulic wet connect and at least one inductive coupling. In some applications, the completion design architecture comprises a lower completion constructed for a well with multiple zones and an upper completion including, or working in cooperation with, an electric submersible pumping system.

According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a method comprises providing a completion system in which a lower completion is coupled to an upper completion in a wellbore via a polished bore receptacle, a hydraulic wet connect, and an inductive coupler. To service the upper completion, the central or internal flow path of the lower completion is initially closed by, for example, a barrier valve. The polished bore receptacle, the hydraulic wet connect, and the inductive coupler are then disengaged to enable withdrawal of the upper completion from the wellbore for servicing.

In some applications, the completion system is designed to enable chemical injection at an individual well zone or at multiple well zones. The chemical injection lines may be releasably coupled by a plurality of hydraulic wet connects. Similarly, the completion system may comprise hydraulic control lines also releasably coupled by corresponding hydraulic wet connects. Electrical power and/or data may be transmitted along the lower and upper completions by non-contact coupling of electric line segments via at least one inductive coupler.

As described in greater detail below, the overall completion system may comprise an intelligent completion system and a barrier valve deployed in a lower completion across a sand face. A hydraulic wet connect and an inductive coupler are provided in this intelligent completion embodiment to releasably connect control lines between the upper completion and the lower completion for easy connection and disconnection of the upper completion with respect to the lower completion.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1-3, an example of a well completion system is illustrated as comprising a lower completion designed to releasably receive an upper completion. The well completion system can be used in a variety of well applications, including onshore applications and offshore applications. In this example, the completion system is illustrated as deployed in a generally vertical wellbore of a multi-zone well. However, the completion system may be deployed in a variety of wells including various deviated wells to facilitate production and/or servicing operations.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, a lower completion 20 is illustrated as comprising a tubular system 22 deployed into a surrounding casing 24 positioned within a wellbore 26. In the embodiment illustrated, the casing 24 is deployed down through an outer casing 28 and sealed with respect to the outer casing 28 by a packer 30 or other suitable seal member. The lower completion 20 may comprise a wide variety of components, systems, and arrangements of components and systems depending on the specific application for which it is designed. Accordingly, components, systems and arrangements are provided as examples should not be construed as limiting the lower completion 20 to the embodiment illustrated.

By way of example, the lower completion 20 may comprise a polished bore receptacle 32 for slidably receiving the upper completion. The lower completion 20 also may comprise a lower hydraulic wet connect portion 34 coupled to individual or multiple lower hydraulic line segments, such as hydraulic control line segments 36 and/or chemical injection line segments 38. Additionally, the lower completion 20 may comprise a lower inductive coupler portion 40 coupled to individual or multiple lower electrical line segments 42.

Depending on the specific application, lower completion 20 also may comprise a variety of other components, such as a lower completion packer 43 positioned to seal against an interior of casing 24. The lower completion 20 also may comprise a multi-zonal well treatment system 44 spread across a plurality of well zones 46 to, for example, deliver chemical treatments to the well zones 46 via perforations 48. By way of example, each zone of the multi-zonal well treatment system 44 may comprise a flow control valve 50 and a smart chemical injection valve 52 separated from the other well zones 46 by a suitable isolation packer 54 with a feedthrough. The lower completion 20 also may include a barrier valve 56 which may be controlled to. selectively open or close the lower completion 20 with respect to fluid flow through a central flow passage 58 of the lower completion.

Various other components also may be employed in some embodiments of lower completion 20. For example, the lower completion 20 may comprise a variety of sensors, gauges, and other devices coupled to the electric line or lines 42. The lower completion 20 also may comprise features such as a protector sleeve 60 disposed about the hydraulic wet connect portions 34 and a nipple 62.

In FIG. 2, an embodiment of the multi-zonal well treatment system 44 is illustrated, although the system may comprise a variety of additional or other types of components. In the example illustrated, the multi-zonal treatment system 44 comprises the electrohydraulic flow control valve 50 and the smart chemical injection valve 52 associated with each well zone 46. Each well zone 46 is separated from the next adjacent well zone 46 by the zonal isolation packer 54 of system 44. Additionally, the multi-zonal treatment system 44 may comprise a power and telemetry module 64 and a dual pressure/temperature gauge 66 for each well zone 46. In this example, the chemical injection valve 52 also comprises an electric actuator 68, a plunger 70, and a chemical injection port 72 disposed in a chemical injection sub 74. Electrical components and systems, such as the power and telemetry module 64, dual pressure/temperature gauge 66, and electric actuator 68 may be connected with lower electric line segment 42.

Referring generally to FIG. 3, an example of an upper completion 76 is illustrated. In this embodiment, the upper completion 76 comprises an upper hydraulic wet connect portion 78 coupled to individual or multiple upper hydraulic line segments, such as hydraulic control line segments 80 and/or chemical injection line segments 82. Additionally, the upper completion 76 may comprise an upper inductive coupler portion 84 coupled to individual or multiple upper electrical line segments 86. The upper hydraulic wet connect portion 78 and the upper inductive coupler portion 84 are designed for deployment through polished bore receptacle 32.

Depending on the specific application, upper completion 76 also may comprise a variety of other components, such as a non-sealing contraction joint 88 and a ported seal assembly 90 designed for sealing receipt in polished bore receptacle 32. The various components may be mounted on or to a tubing 92, such as production tubing, having a central flow passage 94. Examples of other components that may be included in upper completion 76 include a circulating valve 96, such as a circulating valve with an electro-hydraulic module, and a surface controlled subsurface safety valve 98. In various applications, upper completion 76 also may comprise an electric submersible pumping system 100 positioned, for example, to pump production fluids up through the central flow passages 58 and 94.

Referring generally to FIG. 4, an illustration is provided in which the upper completion 76 has been moved downhole through wellbore 26 and into engagement with lower completion 20. In this embodiment, the lower hydraulic wet connect portion 34 has been engaged with the upper wet connect portion 78 to form a hydraulic wet connect 102. Formation of the hydraulic wet connect 102 couples the lower hydraulic lines 36 and 38 with the upper hydraulic lines 80 and 82 to form hydraulic lines, e.g. hydraulic control lines and/or chemical injection lines, routed along the upper completion 76 and the lower completion 20. Similarly, the lower inductive coupler portion 40 has been joined with the upper inductive coupler portion 84 to form an inductive coupler 104. Formation of the inductive coupler 104 couples the lower electric line segment or line segments 42 with the upper electric line segment or line segments 86 to form an electric line or lines routed along the upper and lower completions.

The polished bore receptacle 32 along with hydraulic wet connect 102 and inductive coupler 104 enable easy engagement and disengagement of the upper completion 76 with the lower completion 20 to form the overall completion system 106. If servicing of the upper completion 76 or other portions of the overall completion system 106 is desired, the polished bore receptacle 32, hydraulic wet connect 102, and inductive coupler 104 may be automatically disconnected upon withdrawal of the upper completion 76. According to a servicing embodiment, the barrier valve 56 is initially closed to block fluid flow along internal passages 58, 94, as illustrated in FIG. 5. In the configuration illustrated in FIG. 5, the circulating valve 96 is in an open position as indicated by the arrows. The upper completion 76 may then be withdrawn for servicing, e.g. repair or replacement, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The tubing above barrier valve 56 may be filled with a heavy weight fluid 107. Following servicing, the upper completion 76 may be conveyed downhole and easily reengaged with the lower completion 20 via the polished bore receptacle 32, the hydraulic wet connect 102, and the inductive coupler 104.

The hydraulic wet connect 102 and the inductive coupler 104 are designed to enable easy disengagement and re-engagement of the upper completion 76 with the lower completion 20. An example of hydraulic wet connect 102 is illustrated in FIGS. 7-8 in the form of a hydraulic line wet mate connection system. In this example, the upper hydraulic wet connect portion 78 is illustrated in FIG. 7, and the insertion of upper hydraulic wet connect portion 78 into lower hydraulic wet connect portion 34 is illustrated in FIG. 8.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, an embodiment of the upper hydraulic wet connect portion 78 may comprise a slightly narrowed lead end 108 coupled to a hydraulic flow line end 110. At least one and often a plurality of seals 112 is positioned around hydraulic flow line end 110 and/or lead end 108. In some embodiments, a protection sleeve 114 may be positioned to cover seals 112 prior to engagement with lower hydraulic wet connect portion 34. Once upper hydraulic wet connect portion 78 is engaged with lower hydraulic wet connect portion 34 to form the hydraulic wet mate connect 102, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a sealing engagement is formed between seals 112 and an interior surface 116 of the lower hydraulic wet connect portion 34. During engagement, the protection sleeve 114 is pushed back from seals 112 by an abutment member 118 located on the lower hydraulic wet connect portion 34.

The lead end 108 is designed to guide the insertion of upper hydraulic wet connect portion 78 into lower hydraulic wet connect portion 34. The easy engagement and disengagement of the hydraulic wet mate connect 102 facilitates engagement and disengagement of the upper completion 76 with respect to the lower completion 20. Depending on the number of hydraulic lines 36, 38, a corresponding number of hydraulic wet mate connects 102 may be used. The plurality of hydraulic wet mate connects 102 may be mounted separately or combined into a wet mate connection structure. Additionally, the male and female portions of the hydraulic wet mate connects 102 may be mounted on either the lower completion 20 or the upper completion 76. It should be noted that some embodiments of completion system 106 may utilize various orienting devices, e.g. orienting sleeves or slots, to rotationally orient the upper completion 76 with respect to the lower completion 20 so as to facilitate insertion of upper hydraulic wet connect portion 78 into lower hydraulic wet connect portion 34.

Referring generally to FIG. 9, an example of the inductive coupler 104 is illustrated. In this example, the upper inductive coupler portion 84 is illustrated as inserted into lower inductive coupler portion 40. The non-sealing contraction joint 88 is illustrated as having a coiled portion 120 of the electric line 42 to facilitate engagement of the upper inductive coupler portion 84 with the lower inductive coupler portion 40. Again, some embodiments of completion system 106 may utilize various orienting devices, e.g. orienting sleeves or slots, to rotationally orient the upper completion 76 with respect to the lower completion 20 so as to facilitate engagement of the upper inductive coupler portion 84 with the lower inductive coupler portion 40.

In the example illustrated, the upper inductive coupler portion 84 comprises at least one and often a plurality of inductors 122 which are connected to upper electric line 86. Similarly, the lower inductive coupler portion 40 comprises at least one and often a plurality of inductors 124 connected to lower electric line 42. In this example, the inductors 124 of lower inductive coupler portion 40 are positioned radially outward of inductors 122. In at least some embodiments, a radial gap 126 may be disposed between inductors 122 and surrounding inductors 124.

The design of inductive coupling 104 enables transfer of data and/or power to or from the lower completion 20. The inductive coupling 104 further reduces exposure of electrical contacts and is tolerant to debris and vibration. The contraction joint 88 positioned above the inductive coupler 104 also facilitates tubing space out. In some embodiments, a coupler mechanism 126 may be used to latch the upper inductive coupler portion 84 into position with respect to the lower inductive coupler portion 40.

Depending on the downhole application, the completion embodiments described herein may be used to facilitate a variety of production and/or servicing operations. Accordingly, the overall well system may comprise many types of components and arrangements of components. Additionally, the hydraulic wet mate connectors and the inductive couplers described herein may be used with a variety of devices and systems, including a variety of sensors, valves, gauges, injection assemblies, and other components designed to facilitate the given production or servicing operation. The specific components and arrangements of components used to form the upper and lower completions also may be constructed in various designs and configurations depending on the parameters of a given well related application or other type of application.

Although a few embodiments of the system and methodology have been described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims. 

1. A method of servicing a well system, comprising: providing a completion system with a lower completion coupled to an upper completion in a wellbore via a polished bore receptacle, a hydraulic wet connect, and an inductive coupler, closing off an internal flow path of the lower completion; disengaging the polished bore receptacle, the hydraulic wet connect, and the inductive coupler; and withdrawing the upper completion from the wellbore for servicing.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising delivering the upper completion back downhole to engage the lower completion via the polished bore receptacle, the hydraulic wet connect, and the inductive coupler.
 3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing comprises providing a plurality of hydraulic wet connects for coupling a plurality of hydraulic lines.
 4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein providing comprises using the plurality of hydraulic wet connects to couple at least one chemical injection line and to couple at least one hydraulic control line.
 5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein providing comprises using the plurality of hydraulic wet connects to couple a plurality of chemical injection lines and to couple a plurality of hydraulic control lines.
 6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing comprises using the inductive coupler to connect at least one electrical line to route power signals and data signals between the lower completion and the upper completion.
 7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing the upper completion with a surface controlled subsurface safety valve.
 8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing the lower completion with a plurality of chemical injection assemblies separated by at least one zonal isolation packer.
 9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing the lower completion with a multi-zonal well treatment system.
 10. A system for use in a well, comprising: a lower completion having a lower hydraulic line segment, a lower electrical line segment, and a barrier valve; and an upper completion coupled to the lower completion, the upper completion having an upper hydraulic line segment and an upper electrical line segment, the upper hydraulic line segment being engageable with the lower hydraulic line segment via a hydraulic wet connect and the upper electrical line segment being engageable with the lower electrical line segment via an inductive coupler to enable withdrawal of the upper completion upon closing of the barrier valve.
 11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the hydraulic wet connect comprises a plurality of hydraulic wet connects coupling a plurality of upper hydraulic line segments to a plurality of lower hydraulic line segments.
 12. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the upper completion slidably engages the lower completion at a polished bore receptacle.
 13. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of upper hydraulic line segments and the plurality of lower hydraulic line segments form a plurality of hydraulic control lines and a plurality of chemical injection lines.
 14. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the inductive coupler comprises a plurality of internal inductors and a plurality of outer inductors positioned radially outward of the plurality of internal inductors.
 15. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the upper completion comprises a surface controlled subsurface safety valve and an electric submersible pumping system.
 16. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the lower completion comprises a plurality of chemical injection assemblies separated by at least one zonal isolation packer.
 17. A method, comprising: routing an electrical line and a hydraulic line along an upper completion and a multi-zonal lower completion; and engaging or disengaging segments of the electrical line and segments of the hydraulic line during engagement and disengagement of the upper completion and the multi-zonal lower completion by providing the electric line with an inductive coupler and by providing the hydraulic line with a hydraulic wet connect.
 18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein engaging comprises engaging the upper completion with the multi-zonal lower completion at a polished bore receptacle.
 19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein routing comprises routing a plurality of chemical injection lines coupled by a plurality of hydraulic wet connects.
 20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising providing the multi-zonal lower completion with a plurality of chemical injection assemblies separated by a zonal isolation packer. 